Conflicting Friends
Never be ashamed of doing your duty. Never feel guilt for doing what you must. Rogue 1: Conflicting Friends Part Alpha- Time: 03:30 HOURS Date: 2548-1-12 UNSC Ship: Twilight's Hope <> >SYSTEM: Iris< 'blee' 'blee' 'blee' "Rogue, get up!" Rogue's head shot up, hitting the bunk on top of her. "What?!" "Pillar wants you on the bridge!" "Look, if this is about anothe-!" "Come on!" Skates shouted. Rogue slapped on her helmet, then started towards the bridge. ---- "Yes sir?" Rogue yawned. "177... Are you okay?" Pillar asked. Rogue removed her helmet, she noticed Pillar's eyes grow. "Fine sir, could you tell me why I'm up here?" "Nevermind 177, go get some sleep, 177," Pillar said. "Sir, I haven't been sleeping lately anyway, what am I needed for this time?" Rogue asked, rubbing her eyes. Pillar looked her over again, "If you say so, I'll trust you not to over-work yourself, we've recieved a Covenant distress call." Pillar motioned her toward Specs, and they walked over. "Specs said you'd know the-whatever it is, on speakers," Pillar ordered. Specs nodded. "This is Morak Velten'ee! Our ship was damamged! It could not be saved, we are attem- t- ma- lan- PLANET-!" The voice cut off. Pillar looked at Rogue who had closed her eyes, "I know him. He's helped us on more than one occasion." Pillar nodded, "We have orders to capture him, and whoever else is down there. "Tonight?!... Uh-I mean, Aye, sir," Rogue muttered. "Onyx Team, we got a mission." ---- Pilot landed swiftly, they were all aware of the fact that it'd be best if they'd attack in nightt, and they didn't have time to wait. Rogue was the first out, she brought up her scanner on her heads-up display. "They're-hiding in a... cave a click north. Lets get there fast, Pilot stand by with the pelican." "Aye, sir," Pilot said. "Lets get this over with." ---- Rogue motioned into the cave, Skates entered first, then Leo, and the others, finally Rogue entered. Despite their weight, they made not a single sound, Rogue jumped onto a ledge on the side of the wall, and ran one level above the others. A light flickered ahead, Rogue dropped down, then flashed a caution signal before crawling forward. There were five of them, and six of the Rogues, she scanned for Morak, then found him sitting against the far area of the curved wall, holding a carbine, and his eyes were closed, the others except for one seemed to be sleeping, who was clearly on watch. Her team knew what to do, Tease had made a cooing sound, that got the Elite's attention. Rogue trusted them to take care of it. She had half a mind to alert Morak, half. But he had sold her out before, even though he had come back, saved her life, and rescued her team, she still didn't trust him. Just as she was thinking about what to do, Leo tossed the gas can in, and the drug despersed. Morak, most likely from the noise, jumped up. Rogue then stood up, and jumped down. She walked past the already colapsed, and stopped in front of Morak, he was obviously fighting it. "1-1-177... What did you-...?" "Sorry, Morak," 177 whispered, then caught him before hitting the ground, and eased him down, before tunring back to her team, "Luke, start loading them." "Pilot's outside," Lucky said. "Good, lets make this..." Rogue noticed a purple bag, then walked over. "Just make it quick." "Aye sir, lets move it!" Luke shouted. Rogue opened, then gasped at what was inside. "What are-?" "Rogue! PHANTOM APPROACHING!" "What?!" Rogue shot up, the others had escaped already, except for Morak, who Rogue had already excpected to get. She grabbed the bag, then slung it on her back, when the cave started to shake. She ran over to Morak, "Morak! Morak, wake up!" She grabbed her pistol, aimed at his leg, "Sorry." She fired. Morak roared, shooting up, she wasn't surprised the sedative wasn't supposed to last long. "Morak get up! I think your budies are bombing the cave!" Morak didn't question, he shot up, and started to run. Rogue was right behind him, she saw the cave start to collapse, she smiled, it was behind them, they would make it! When suddenly she turned only enough to see rubble crash down on top of her, then only blackness. Rubble-Part Beta: "177! 177, can you hear me in there?!' I'll get you out!'" Blackness, one voice, a voice most of her said not to trust, he wasn't human. What was that supposed to mean? No all Covenant are evil, bloodthirsty, religious idiots... No, Morak-Morak at least seemed to have his head on straight. Seemed. He didn't have the eyes of someone out to decieve her, she had always been able to tell, some how... "177!" Something was lifted off her front, she could feel it, the sudden release of preasure nearly made her go out again, he head was beating, and her ears were still ringing. Someone removed her helmet, then started to pat her face. "177, come on!" Rogue's eyes cracked open, just beforea cough came up, multiple, heavy coughs, she felt the dust coming out of her lungs, then closed her eyes again. "177, are you alright?" Rogue forced her eyes to open, then saw Morak, where ever they were is was dark. "Wha-what happened?" "The cave collapsed, I have to get this off you, 177." Morak stood again, then vanished from her vision. She looked up, and saw him pushing against a large boulder, which she finally realized was on top of her. Rogue found her left arm free, then pushed, she was at least happy that she was facing up, but she only had one arm to use. Morak slipped, falling down, but got right back up. "Morak... Stop, you can't move it," Rogue whispered. Morak sighed, then sat down. He looked at her, "Are you in pain?" Rogue turned her head to him, "Lets think about that, Morak. My-body in being crushed, I can't breathe, my lungs have a layer of rock dust on them, OF COARSE I'M IN PAI-!" she coughed harder. "Don't hurt yourself more than you already are, 177!" Morak growled. "Rogue!" "What?" Morak asked. "My name-my callsign is Rogue, please call me Rogue... please." "Alright, Rogue, do not hurt yourself," Morak said. It was silent until Rogue broke the silence, "Morak...?" "Rogue?" "If I don't make it-." "No! You will make it Rogue, you aren't going to die!" Morak shouted. Rogue turned her head to him, "This thing is crushing me, Morak... I need to ask you something." "What is it?" Morak asked. "Why?" Rogue asked. "Pardon," Morak asked. "Why did you decide to be my friend? Why do you say I'm your friend, when I don't call you my friend?" Rogue asked. Morak looked forward, he seemed to be thinking, "No other human would have bothered to pull me out of that sand pit, you did. I still don't understand why you did, still to this day." Rogue sighed, "Long time... I already told you, niether of us would hav-." "Don't give me those human excuses, I know there's more to it!" Morak growled. Rogue shuddered, before turning back to the cealing, he was right, and it all went back to the same thing... guilt. Guilt-Part Gamma: Rogue gasped at the cold water sloshed against her face, then slowly opened her eyes. "You have to stay awake, Rogue." "I-can't dang Pillar had kept me up for six days..." "Why is that?" Morak asked. Rogue closed her eyes again, "Not like I've b-been able to s-sleep lately anyway..." "Why?" Morak repeated. "Nightmares -th-they keep me away from slumberland... I can't-..." "Stay awake, Rogue!" Morak scolded, shaking her shoulder. "I-I'm dieing, Morak..." "No, you won't!" "These-rocks a-are crushing my gut, I-I can't breathe..." "Stay with me!" Rogue grew silent for a moment... "How long has it been?" Morak shrugged, "Hours... An entire day for all I know." Rogue closed her eyes again, "Morak, can you do something for me?..." Morak blinked at her, then solemnly nodded. "Talk to me, some how keep me awake... Talk to m-me M-Morak... P-please." "What about, Rogue?" he asked. "A-Anything..." Morak looked forward, and at the floor again, then seemed to be thinking of something to speak to her about. “Remember when we had first met?” “... Yeah... Y-You had cuffed m-me and w-wanted t-to take m-me back to T-Truth.” Morak cleared his throat, “At first, but after making the pact with you to help each other survive, and speaking with you, I had started to see that there is more to humans than that of what we are trained to believe. I don't remember much other than what happened the day after...” Rogue could help but start to laugh, “Oh!... A Covy Elite getting drunk! That was priceless!” Rogue started to cough again, from laughing too hard. “I still do not understand the meaning of that word.” “You-were-intoxicated.” Morak sighed. Rogue suddenly realized, she smelled blood... fresh blood. Not human either. She turned her head, then noticed the dark pool forming from Morak's leg, she clenched her eyes shut. “M-Morak- your l-leg.” Morak looked down, “Its nothing.” “I'm sorry I shot you, I-I just thought b-better th-that then you b-be k-illed in the collapse...” “Thank you, Rogue, I think it better, too.” Rogue nodded, “Keep talking... tell m-me about... I don't know-just t-talk.” She felt a hand come on her forehead. “You're definitely running a fever,” Morak said. Rogue growled, then shoved herself up, “I gotta get this off!” she cried. “I was feeling my leg bleeding earlier, but now... I'm losing all feeling period!” “''*clack* Rogue! Rogue, can you hear me?!” '' Rogue grunted, releasing her tension, allowing herself to drop, then she touched her com. “Where the heck are you guys?!” “Jeez, Rogue, what demon possessed you?” Rogue gasped, losing her breath, then coughed, coughed until blood suddenly sputtered out. Morak jumped, then grabbed the com from her, “Hello?! Is anyone hearing this?” “''Wait, who's this?”'' the voice growled. “This is Morak, the one who sent you the message! 177 is trapped up to her chest under rocks, I removed what I could, but I believe she breathed in rock debris! Now she is coughing up blood!” “''Morak, this is F06. Is there anything else wrong?”'' “She said that she had felt pain in her leg, but she said she's going numb, also, if she is cut, I believe that her wound must be infected, her temperature is very high.” “''We're in the process of digging the two of you out.”'' “Wait... Rogue just stopped, she might be dieing! You have to-!” There was a loud explosion, then light, before F06 plunged down, making a crater in the rock. He ran up, then rammed into the rock, “This area is secure, push!” Several other descended and did the same, but the rock barely budged. It'd take a while to get it off. Rogue closed her eyes, as the hopelessness over took her. Part Delta: Shame... Rogue... Rogue... Rogue... C-can you hear me?... Rogue, wake up... Rogue opened her eyes, to again, see Leo waving a flashlight in her eyes. “Why am I the only one who ever seems to end up in here?” she croaked. Leo smiled, “Good to have you back. Don't you dare think about getting up until that fracture in your knee is healed.” That was when she realized she had been taken out of her armor. “You swallowed an entire quart of rocks, not to mention all the debris you breathed in. Cleaning your lungs isn't as fun as you'd think you know?” “M-Morak?” “We let him escape, but the scientists we captured will give us some good intell, that pack that Morak left behind had pods of concentrated bio-toxins. You're luck one didn't brake, you'd have been dead.” Rogue closed her eyes, she was tired. “He said to let it go.” She reopened her eyes, “What?” “Morak, he asked me to tell you to let your guilt go. This is war, and you should never be ashamed of doing what you have to... never. Never be ashamed of doing your duty.” Rogue closed her eyes, then allowed herself sleep, sleep she had needed for a long time. | ][ Category:Short